Dow VC finally removed, four months after end of rehiring contract

Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair finally removed Dr Masood Hameed Khan from the position of vice chancellor of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) on Thursday and assigned the additional charge to the varsity’s pro-vice chancellor, Prof Khawar Saeed Jamali, till furthers orders.

Khan had been illegally serving as vice chancellor of the prestigious health varsity for over four months as his re-employment contract as professor of medicine and director of the Serobiological Centre, DUHS, had expired on November 6, 2016, said a notification issued from the Governor House.

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and other bodies of health professionals hailed Khan’s removal and praised the governor for taking the bold decision, saying that they had been demanding the appointment of a permanent vice chancellor for a long time.

In a statement, the PMA hoped that due course of law would be followed and a competent health professional and educationist would be appointed the new vice chancellor of the varsity without wasting any further time.

The notification, issued by the governor’s principal secretary Muhammad Sualeh Farouqi, said Prof Khan had retired on November 6, 2014, and on the very next day, he had been re-employed for a period of two years as professor of medicine and director of the Serobiological Centre. During the term of re-employment, he was also given the additional charge of the post of vice chancellor.

After his two-year term expired on November last year, he had been serving illegally as vice chancellor and drawing a salary without any legal provision or mandate from the varsity.

“Consequent upon the ‘seization of his substantive position, his additional charge as Vice Chancellor also stands terminated,” said the notification.

Another notification issued simultaneously by the Governor House said that after the termination of the additional charge assigned to Prof Khan, the chancellor “is pleased to assign the additional charge of the post of VC to Prof. Dr. Khawar Saeed Jamali, who is serving as the pro-vice chancellor of the DUHS, with immediate effect and till further orders”.

On the retirement of Prof Khan, a search committee constituted by the chief minister had recommended the appointment of Prof Saeed Quraishy as the VC of the university, but then governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan had continued Prof Khan in his position.